Carjacking

[mayevora]

Here's one I've not come across before. Sent to my wife today.

Just last weekend on Friday night we parked in a public parking area. As we drove away I noticed a sticker on the rear window of the car. When I took it off after I got home, it was a receipt for petrol. Luckily my friend told me not to stop as it could be someone waiting for me to get out of the car. Then we received this email yesterday:

'WARNING FROM WEST MIDLANDS POLICE

BEWARE OF PAPER ON THE BACK WINDOW OF YOUR VEHICLE--NEW WAY TO DO CAR JACKINGS (NOT A JOKE)'

.. You walk across the car parking , unlock your car and get inside. You start the engine and shift into Reverse. When you look into the rearview mirror to back out of your parking space, you notice a piece of paper stuck to the middle of the rear window. So, you shift into neutral, unlock your doors, and jump out of your car to remove that paper (or whatever it is) that is obstructing your view. When you reach the back of your car, that is when the carjackers appear out of nowhere, jump into your car and take off. They practically mow you down as they speed off in your car. And guess what, ladies/gents? I bet your purse/wallet is still in the car.

So now the carjacker has your car, your home address, your money, and your keys. Your home and your whole identity are now compromised!

BEWARE OF THIS NEW SCHEME THAT IS NOW BEING USED.

If you see a piece of paper stuck to your back window, just drive away and remove the paper later.

[dodgy]

bleedin hell Ian !

[garry_ludwar@hotmail.com]

the buggers are getting creative

altho you dont really have to worry about this with the esprit as it takes 30 seconds to get in the thing, over a minute if you are untrained or not enrolled in an advanced yoga program

Edited August 7, 2008 by GARRY_R _L

[mayevora]

the buggers are getting creative

altho you dont really have to worry about this with the esprit as it takes 30 seconds to get in the thing,

Another 30 secs to find the handbrake and that would also be a good time to encounter red hose syndrome, and if they ran out of fuel, 30 minutes of handbood reading to find the petrol cap release.

Joking aside, my best guess is they are looking for cars far more valuable than 2nd/3rd hand Esprits - Well heres hopeing anyway.

[garry_ludwar@hotmail.com]

hey now bite your lip to a person who truly knows the value of a car for what it is and not its name, i dont care if its had so many owners sliding in and out of it the doors are devoloping loose lips, there is nothing i repeat nothing more valuable than a lotus

[Jonathan]

What is the rear window and why should I need one ? hehe

If the paper was on the rear window and you were backing out - wouldn't you tend to see it before hand anyways ?

Does it still work if you back into the space hehe - sorry, just messing - worth noting esp if you have a nickable car.

[mayevora]

Yep, well said actually Gary.

Also starting to wonder if it is sensible or not, when an early morning hoon is organised to publically state a time and meeting place on an open forum stateing where exactly you intend to be, especially if meeting at stupid O'clock in the morning in a dark motorway Service Station like we have done so many times in the past.

[Iconic Ride]

my best guess is they are looking for cars far more valuable than 2nd/3rd hand Esprits.

Heresy! Infidel! Be banished to the domain of the unwashed! Stand not close to upright timber surrounded by kindling.

[Loose Cannon]

This ones been doing the rounds for years. If it was ever based on an real incident it was a long time ago.

[910Esprit]

Never heard of a Lotus being 'jacked. Whereas, if you read your Manchester Evening News, you will see that Type R Civics, Audi S3's etc are the car of choice - 4 seats, anonymous and relatively quick. I'm always relatively cautious driving through the mean streets of Moss side in my Type R.... Sounds very plausible to me, as I know 2 people that have been either carjacked or robbed at their car. Including my mother!

[tonyp]

Hey Mark, love the strap line (L is for labour ...) very funny sketch that, well overdue for a repeat !

Don't think I'd notice an A4 sheet of paper on the back window, let alone a little bit of till roll. That busy getting strapped in, firing up, getting feet on right pedals etc. etc. & working out how to miss the totally invisible kerbs & smiling back at all the folk gawping at you .....

[superdavelotus]

Yes it has been around for a while. I've also heard of insurance companies not paying out because the owner left the keys out of their possession and the car running.

This is now stated in the small print of most policies nowadays.

Dave Walters

[jimmybondi]

whether old trick or not.

This is why I have separated the alarm remote from the car key. with the remote I can:

- switch off the engine

- set off the alarm

[Autocross7]

That "trick" has been around here for a couple years. However I think the fad of it is failing, so naturally the trick moved across the pond.

Now the trick they use here is to work in a minimum of pairs... one guy lays under you car (especially ladies from what the law enforcement reports say) and when you stop to open the door, they grab your ankles. Typically this results in you falling back as it is unexpected - but whatever - it causes a sufficient distraction and you do not see the other guy(s) running up on you.

It does not always work around here though. A few months back this was done to a guy with a Jeep... he fell back, looked between his feet... and promptly shot the fool under his jeep with a .45 pistol. The other one of the carjackers did not fair well either as the Jeep owners German Shepard bagan to "explain" the situation. Geuss they did not notice the owner came out of the shopping center with his dog as he was picking up his dog from the groomers? Bad move. Owner was cleared of the shooting at the scene and the dog was featured in the local law enforcement article that runs in the news paper.

Cameron

Edited August 8, 2008 by Autocross7

[Katie]

My auntie parked by a postbox and hopped out of the car to post her letter. And yes, she had her car nicked the minute she was posting the letter. Her handbag containing everything was in there, and worse still, the family dog was in the back of the car. The police told her that thieves sit in hiding near post boxes as they are a perfect opportunity for car jacking.

Yesterday I noticed a middle aged lady had left her keys in the ignition whilst she went to post something on the noticeboard of the village hall. Again, most unwise.

[tonyp]

Bl**dy hell, try that here & you go to jail for 15 years, dog gets put down, villains get

[Loose Cannon]

Can anybody think of any other great "snatch" opportunities for our lightfingered brethren? I reckon Blockbuster is a good one, outside cash machines, and airports (my dad had to stifle his inner tea-leaf when confronted with an empty Aston Martin Vantage idling nicely in front of Newcastle Airport a while back!)

[Bibs]

Wasn't there a story a while back where a carjacked car still had a couple of kids strapped into the rear seats?

[Loose Cannon]

Hey Mark, love the strap line (L is for labour ...) very funny sketch that, well overdue for a repeat !

Been laughing my socks off at clips on Youtube and introducing my kids to it - can you believe it was 17 years ago!?!? Will look for a good Mr Cholmondly-Warner pic to go with it.

[Iconic Ride]

Bl**dy hell, try that here & you go to jail for 15 years, dog gets put down, villains get

[garry_ludwar@hotmail.com]

you have put waaaayyyy to much thought into that

[Iconic Ride]

Almost, Garry.

Left out Step 10. Make friends with REALLY good local Barrister, should any evidence "resurface", so to speak.